title: Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels crosslinked by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition with tailorable mechanical properties.
abstract: Biopolymers of the extracellular matrix are attractive starting materials for providing degradable and biocompatible biomaterials. In this study, hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties were prepared by the use of copper- catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (known as "click chemistry"). Alkyne-functionalized hyaluronic acid was crosslinked with linkers having two terminal azide functionalities, varying crosslinker density as well as the lengths and rigidity of the linker molecules. By variation of the crosslinker density and crosslinker type, hydrogels with elastic moduli in the range of 0.5-4 kPa were prepared. The washed materials contained a maximum of 6.8 mg copper per kg dry weight and the eluate of the gel crosslinked with diazidostilbene did not show toxic effects on L929 cells. The hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels have potential as biomaterials for cell culture or soft tissue regeneration applications.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomaterial Development and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piluso
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hiebl
authors.forename: Stanislav N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Gorb
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovalev
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lendlein
authors.forename: Axel T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Neffe
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000480:Alkynes / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001386:Azides / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D003979:Diazonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D020100:Hydrogels; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012212:Rheology; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000737:chemistry; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D001386:Azides; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003979:Diazonium Compounds; D020100:Hydrogels; D013267:Stilbenes; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D019327:Copper Sulfate